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Summary

A good example of a Devon Church House.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1146627: CHURCH HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS22SW/4
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 91256
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX22SW14

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHURCH HOUSE (Built, XV to XVI - 1401 AD to 1600 AD (Between))

Full description

Copeland, G. W., 1960, Devonshire Church-Houses: Part 1, 133 (Article in Serial). SDV298102.

Situated south-east of the church and now divided into two cottages. A picturesque rectangular two storied stone building. On the north side is a rectangular staircase projection with a pent-roof and a small pointed upper light.. Also a blocked moulded window cut off at the top by the eaves of the old roof and also a plainly moulded stone doorway with an elliptical head. The walls have plain plinth-moulds. The roof is slated and the old chimneys remain. The ground floor windows on the north side have later wooden frames but retain their original relieving arches. One the south side is a gabled projection, possibly a garderobe. The interior has been modernised.

Copeland, G. W., 1961, Devonshire Church Houses, part 2, 262-3 (Article in Serial). SDV7456.

Further details of the building given. Other details: Plate 25.

Lewis, F. K., 1969, The Guide to Hartland's Church, 4 (Leaflet). SDV320754.

This house was originally occupied by the priests who served St. Nectan's prior to the building of Hartland Abbey in 1160. Seized by King Henry about 1540 and given to his chief butler, Sir William Abbott. It had a great upper room in which church ales and other parochial functions were held, and to which the parishoners had access by an outside stone stairway which is still in existence. Now a private residence.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978 - 1981, SS22SW14 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV7453.

Site visit 30th November 1978. In good condition, as above. It is still two almhouses cottages.

Hartland Quay Museum, 1981, Guide to the Coast and Shipwrecks. North from Hartland Quay (Leaflet). SDV341566.

Department of Environment, 1989, Hartland (Provisional List), 100 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV7460.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/TA, TA 1,2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV15445.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 240 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Originally occupied by priests prior to building of Hartland Abbey in 1160. Seized by King Henry c. 1540 and given to chief butler, Sir William Abbott. Church ales and other functions held in upper room - access via external stone stair. Now 2 cottages.

English Heritage, 2009, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV343599.

Date first listed: 20th February 1958. Church House (previously listed as Church Houses) subsequently divided into 2 cottages, now a single house. Probably later 15th or early 16th century, altered in the 19th century including some internal division and refenestration. Coursed and squared rubble, 19th or 20th century slate roof, end stacks, one to left with a 19th century brick shaft, one to right with a large rubble stack.
Plan: single room depth, 3 rooms on the ground floor; direct entry into the right room which was the original kitchen with a gable-end stack with a large hearth. The other 2 rooms were probably entered from the kitchen and may have been used for secure storage of parish goods. In the 19th century the kitchen was partially divided to provide an entrance passage with a doorway at the rear, also a small straight-flight staircase was provided to give access to the first floor; at the same time the central room was given a rear lateral stack and hearth (now disused) and the end room to the extreme left was given a gable-end stack. Original access to the first floor was provided by a staircase on the gable-end in the kitchen, now blocked. Also on the centre of the front, there is a stair-turret which provided external
access to the parish room which had 2 garderobes at the rear. The parish rood was divided in the 19th or early 20th century to provide bedrooms and a passage running along the rear of the house.
Exterior: 2 storeys, 2:1:2-windows, on the first floor a 2-light 19th century casement with horizontal glazing bars and a wooden lintol to the left, next to it a 18th century casements of 2-lights with square-paned facade lights, stone lintol and chamfered stone jambs and cill of a 15th or 16th century window; next window along is of 2-lights 19th century casements with horizontal glazing bars, stone lintol, jambs and cill of an earlier window next to that on the right a 12-pane 2-light casement with wooden lintol. On the ground floor 5 relieving arches, 3 19th century casements, 2 with horizontal glazing bars and one of 12-panes, 2 under the relieving arches and one under a wood lintol, blocked relieving arch windows. Centre bay projects with stair turret with a lean-to roof of slate; rough rubble plinth, 2 small window openings. Highest small and square and set directly under the eaves, stone jambs and cill. Also a narrow semi-circular head window to left. 4-pane casement under wooden lintol on ground floor. On side of stair turret a blocked door opening with 5 stone steps up and iron handrail. 2 other door openings, that to right in a chamfered stone frame with a 4-centred arch-head, plank door. Further door opening to left of ground floor, plank door in 19th century wooden frame. Left return with blocked gable window in stone frame. Rear elevation
with 3 19th century sash windows and a casement; garderobe projecting with a lean-to slate roof, a small semi-circular headed lancet in each end elevation, the ground floor pierced through by a door opening with a plank door, probably 19th century. Gabled stair projecting to left containing the blocked staircases rising from the kitchen.
Interior: ground floor with large blocked fireplace in the kitchen with a small doorway to right in a semi-circular head surround which gives onto a former smoking-chamber, the fireplace with a large wooden bressumer, presently obscured, also presently obscured there is probably a bread oven. Central ground floor room with remains of simple wooden cornice around the wall, 18th or 19th century fireplace with a rough-hewn bressumer. On the 1st floor 3 doorways in wooden frames with 4-centred arch heads, 2 to the garderobes and one leading into the stair turret. Cavetto-moulded cornice all around the walls, now part obscured by 19th and 20th century division.
Roof: of 8 bays, straight principals resting on a wall-plate cranked mortised collar and mortised ridge, 2 rows of threaded purlisn, 19th century roof set over.
This is a particularly good example of a Devon Church House retaining many early features but internally and externally relatively little altered. It is situated in a very prominent roadside position. Other details: LBS No. 91256.

Ordnance Survey, 2009, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV341569.

University of Southampton, 2018, North Devon Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment, 29 (Interpretation). SDV361978.

House originally occupied by priests prior to the building of Hartland Abbey in 1160. Now divided into two private residences.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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